Rehabilitating disadvantaged children is our priority: Dr AZM Zahid

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain today visited the Integrated Child Rehabilitation Centre (ICRC) in Chattogram, stressing the need for education and training to rehabilitate neglected, underprivileged, abandoned and orphaned children into society.

"Our objective is to provide education and training to these children and ultimately bring them into the mainstream of society," he said while visiting the centre at Farhadabad in Hathazari this noon.

He explained that the purpose of the visit was to monitor the progress of the education, training and rehabilitation services provided to the children. "To rehabilitate street and begging children, they must first be brought under psychosocial motivation. Rehabilitation is not possible without it, and we are taking initiatives toward that goal," he added.

Earlier, the minister planted a guava sapling on the centre premises. Later, he unveiled "Alokbartika" , the 12th edition of a wall magazine created by the children, in the hall room.

During the event, boys and girls dressed in the colours of the national flag performed dances to several songs, including "Rakta Diye Nam Likhechi Bangladesher Nam".

Jasmine Akter, deputy project director of the ICRC, said the centre houses 16 categories of children, including street children, child workers, orphans, abandoned children, rescued trafficking victims and children with disabilities. "We are striving to rehabilitate them into mainstream society by providing food, clothing, shelter, education, medical care, technical training and more," she added.

Director of the Divisional Social Services Office Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Deputy Director of the District Social Services Office Mohammad Omar Faruk, and Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Abdullah Al Mumin, among others, were present on the occasion.

According to the centre, the Chattogram ICRC was established on August 12, 2012. Since then, 2,024 children have received services, of whom 1,378 have been rehabilitated through various means and 500 have been reunited with their families. The centre currently houses 100 boys and 104 girls aged between 6 and 18.